Deradicalization programs, upon which the West has placed so much hope, have long been an obvious failure. Such programs are based on the premise that the true teachings of Islam are peaceful, and so all that needs to be done is show the jihadis how they’re misunderstanding the Qur’an and overlooking its teachings of peace, and all will be well. But since the Qur’an and Sunnah are full of commands to make war against and subjugate unbelievers, the idea that jihadis can be “deradicalized” by reference to them is just a myth told to Infidel authorities to lull them into complacency.
Well, let’s see. De-radicalization programs have been implemented elsewhere, notably in Indonesia and Saudi Arabia. Let’s look at how they fared. From the Jihad Watch archives:
Gitmo prisoner reveals: Saudi “deradicalization program” is really a jihad training program
11 ex-Gitmo prisoners flee the Saudi “rehabilitation program” and join up with terrorist groups
Jaw-dropper: 25 former Gitmo detainees “return to militancy” despite Saudi rehab program!
Flight 253 jihadist wasn’t cured by Saudi anti-jihad art therapy
Former Guantanamo detainee now top al-Qaeda ideologue — “He was transferred to Saudi Arabia in 2006 where he was placed in a national rehabilitation project.”
Indonesian government admits that its jihadist rehab program is a failure
France’s only jihadi “deradicalization” center is closing — it was voluntary, and it was empty
“Deradicalisation helpline Step Together receives ‘around five calls in two months,'” by James Thomas, ABC.net.au, September 27, 2017:
A multi-million-dollar government helpline set up to support people worried their family or friends may be at risk of violent extremism appears to be failing to gain traction.
The Step Together helpline was launched in June by the New South Wales Minister for Counter Terrorism, David Elliot.
Costing $3.9 million over three years, the initiative is part of a $47 million program designed to fight radicalisation following the murder of NSW police accountant Curtis Cheng.
The helpline markets itself as an advice and counselling service, and is staffed by professional counsellors seven days a week from 7:00am to 9:00pm.
But Mr Elliot has confirmed the helpline had only received “around five phone calls” in the two months since its launch.
One source, who spoke to the ABC on condition of anonymity, said: “It costs millions, but only a few people have called it. One call was a wrong number, the other was a parent worried their kid was dating a Muslim.”
Prominent Muslim community leaders have also told the ABC they warned the NSW Government the helpline was unlikely to be trusted if it was linked to intelligence gathering or policing agencies.
Despite this, Mr Elliott said the Government expected the low volume of calls to increase, “as the marketing efforts gradually expand”.
He added that the associated website had received 800 hits.
Mr Elliot refused to say when the expanded marketing would take place or whether it would cost more money.
The Minister insisted the helpline had the support of the community.
“Early response from a number of community organisations about Step Together have been positive and many have appreciated being engaged about the initiative,” he said.
What did our readers think about the Step Together helpline failing to gain traction, and how did they think the government initiative could garner more trust?Helpline viewed with suspicion in Muslim community
But prominent members of Sydney’s Muslim community, and terrorism experts have told the ABC a different story.
“In theory it ticks the boxes. In reality, and in the streets of south-west Sydney, nobody is going to use this helpline because, they don’t trust it,” Dr Jamal Rifi said from his medical practice in the Sydney suburb of Belmore.
“We have always said that such an initiative needs to be arm’s length from security agencies [and] from police.”
The helpline is run by an independent contractor but Dr Rifi said launching it under the Ministry for Counter Terrorism meant the service was doomed.
“I doubt it very much — people [using] this hotline … it is going to be seen as embedded to the anti-terror sphere rather than the health, preventative-action sphere,” he said.
An expert in de-radicalisation at the Australian National University, Dr Clarke Jones, said authorities were focusing on the wrong things.
“Everything to do with Muslim communities is to do with security and intelligence,” he said. “Life doesn’t work like that.
“You’ll find there’s much more problems around domestic violence and youth suicide, drug and alcohol offending. Violent extremism may be less than 1 per cent.
Dr Jones wants governments to tackle the symptoms that lead to radicalisation.
“If you put money towards social services or building community capacity, the outcome would be better. In fact, you’d reduce the chances of violent extremism,” he said….
This is a common myth. In reality, study after study has shown that poverty doesn’t cause terrorism, and therefore social services will not end terrorism. But the money will, of course, not be refused.
mortimer says
‘Deradicalisation’ programmes will normally fail, because they do not REWRITE the fundamental, foundational Islamic texts that clearly teach WARFARE AGAINST DISBELIEVERS and those texts have the same authority as all other Islamic texts as the BASIS of authentic Islamic teaching and SHARIA LAW. JIHAD IS COMMANDED IN SHARIA LAW.
The only effective method of DE-JIHADIFICATION would be to ABSOLUTELY DEBUNK and DISCREDIT and DECONSTRUCT Islam per se. Only ABSOLUTE DEPROGRAMMING of Muslims right out of Islam will be effective in stopping jihad. Being a ‘little bit Muslim’ or a ‘little bit jihadist’ is like being a ‘little bit pregnant’. The small jihadist at any moment can INCREASE HIS FAITH and become a BIGGER jihadist.
Only a non-Muslim is immune from the SIREN SONG of JIHAD against the dirty disbelievers.
Frank Anderson says
Mortimer, I suggest adding the word “informed” or “educated” to your last sentence. How many times have we seen people “go the other way” because they believe the lies in the sales pitch? My class was taught in military high school about Communism based on the Korean War experience that uninformed prisoners were easily fooled into collaboration by lies. As we were a generation involved in the Vietnam war, many of us could be expected to serve in the military, and, God forbid, be captured. Please think and write about your ideas to make this work at a price that can be paid. Your comment is probably the best I have seen you make on this subject.
PRCS says
sha·ri·a
[SHəˈrēə]
NOUN
Islamic canonical law based on the teachings of the Koran and the traditions of the Prophet (Hadith and Sunna), prescribing both religious and secular duties and sometimes retributive penalties for lawbreaking. It has generally been supplemented by legislation adapted to the conditions of the day, though the manner in which it should be applied in modern states is a subject of dispute between Islamic fundamentalists and modernists.
Let’s call it what it is:
ISLAMIC law.
gravenimage says
Mortimer, do you have any proof that your supposedly new and improved “deraicalization” program actually works?
You have been pushing “deprogramming” Muslims here for years.
Michael Copeland says
Australian authorities have a “delusional misunderstanding” of Islam’s instructions, to quote the words of defence attorneys in the Oklahoma beheading trial.
Alarmed Pig Farmer says
Deradicalization programs never work because they pit hope against hope, hoping that Moslems will quit reading and understanding the Holy Ko-Ran, or even worse the Hadiths. In other words, there’s nothing radical about Jihad mass murder activism, it is as commanded. Just do it.
jewdog says
Conversation at the De-radicalization Hotline:
Brring, brrring…”Hello, Islam means peace, Gooday, mate!.”
“Yes, I’ve been told that I should kill idolators wherever I find them (9:5), so I’m looking into bombing a rock concert – seeing as the infidel fans idolize the singers…I want to be victorious through terror (Bukhari 4.52.220).”
“Well, no, you don’t want to do that because the peaceful Koran is only referring to Druids and other past sects”
“But no, the verse is in the present tense…”
“Sure, but it was written many years ago and is not applicable now.”
“Of course it is, you idiot kaffir! Say, what’s your name and address, anyway?”
PRCS says
Heh!
samdav7 says
David Elliot .. we both know as a crook politician .. you’ll try every trick in the book to steal taxpayers money .. even if it’s a hoax idea .. well .. at least when you are still a minister and you have the power to steal millions legally !
PRCS says
“A multi-million-dollar government helpline set up to support people worried their family or friends may be at risk of violent extremism appears to be failing to gain traction.”
Another PC euphemism for compliance.
Infidel says
Surprise Surprise
gravenimage says
Australia: Multi-million-dollar taxpayer-funded “deradicalization” helpline “failing to gain traction”
………………..
No sh*t…
Lydia says
Then there is another aspect to all of these things.
The spiritual realm. Some don’t believe in it but others have seen evidence of it, such as demonic possession. It’s like the wind, you don’t see the wind, but you see the leaves blown around by it.
Well there are demonic forces behind all false religions and anything of the occult. When you open yourself up to it, you give them power over you. We see evidence of this in the old testament too with the false gods sought after by wayward Israel. They were not even to take the gold from the temples of false gods because of this. When these people give themselves over to the ‘stronghold’ of islam, they become zombied wild eyed jihadists. There are two forces at work, good and evil. Good is of God, in the Bible. All false gods and systems, the occult, etc. are under evil and the devil uses enlightened deceit to blind and enslave those who turn to these other options. The only way out is to pray and turn to the cross but most are blinded against it by the same powers that hold them captive.
Monty says
Hi Lydia, I could not agree more with your comments. If more Christians had engaged in spiritual warfare, we would not be facing these issues now. If the Church was acting like the Church instead of the world, Islam would never have flourished as it has.
sidney penny says
“This is a common myth. In reality, study after study has shown that poverty doesn’t cause terrorism, and therefore social services will not end terrorism. But the money will, of course, not be refused.”
Yes, infidels money
Monty says
You can only “deradicalise” radicals. Jihad is as much a part of Islam as attending the mosque.
John Forbes says
The GOVERNMENT is compromised by the LEFT & a complete refusal to look !
They have SAUDI FUNDING for Mosques & Madrassas flooding the place ! BRANDIS has introduced ISLAMIC FINANCING & Turnbull has Muslims over the the Official Residence for Ramadan !
Primary industry has HALLAL stamped on their foreheads not caring about what this is financing !
NOT a SINGLE SOUL in that PARLIAMENT would have read the KORAN or Hadiths or any other Muslim text & the Left are firmly in bed with ISLAM as it is a part of the NEW POWER BASE as it is in the UK !
Voices against ISLAM are TINY & WEAK & RIDICULED I am afraid – so far!!
There will be no concerted push back for many many YEARS !!!
Aussie Infidel says
What did the promoters of this failed deradicalization scheme expect? They simply do not understand the power of religious indoctrination, and how difficult it is to change a person’s belief system. Religious (and political) beliefs are largely emotional, involving feelings rather than facts, and belief without proof. Deradicalisation, virtually amounts to deprogramming Muslims out of their religion. It is a many faceted problem with many challenges:
1. Among Muslims, belief in the supernatural is almost universal; and the jihadi war cry “Allahu Akbar!” declares that their “God is greater” than any other – and hence they are supreme.
2. The belief in Muhammad as ‘an excellent pattern for Muslims to follow’ (Q33:21), is also virtually endemic among Muslims. But many Muslims have never read the Quran, and are shocked into a state of denial, when finally confronted with the truth.
3. The psychological principle of ‘longitudinal consistency’ means that ‘old habits die hard’. Every habit, from the five daily prayers, and women wearing the jihab, to their toilet rituals, helps maintain Muslims within the fold.
4. Abandoning Islam would be a difficult conscious effort for most Muslims, because of the fear endemic in Muslim communities – particularly fear of punishment for apostasy, and fear of not getting to Paradise (Jannah) when they die.
5. To Muslims, Western laws and values are merely ‘man-made’ rules, while the Quran is the inerrant words of Allah – and therefore the Sharia is superior.
6. The Islamic scriptures preach jihad against the kuffar ad nauseum. And imams continually reiterate (and embellish) the scriptures in their Friday prayers.
Any deradicalization program would have to deal with all these factors and many more. And the deprogrammer would have to be someone who understands Islam, and could answer the many questions which would be raised.
Change is not impossible, but the success rate would be extremely low.
Chris Malan says
This is the crux of the matter. From your article: “The helpline is run by an independent contractor ” Who is this independent contractor? A relative of some politician? Does he pay generous kickbacks? There are so many things here in Australia with generous support from governments of all kinds which are total wastes of money, like the NSW bus services in so many towns which run 40+ passenger buses with nearly never more than five people in them. They are very often empty. Also independent contractors. The real reason behind this deradicalisation helpline was most likely not deradicalisation. You’re missing the whole point of the exercise. If anybody really believes all these wasteful schemes are needed, that somebody is truly stupid. So choose, stupid or corrupt.